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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29270217">This Side of Paradise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/applemachine/pseuds/applemachine'>applemachine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Pocket Monsters: Sword &amp; Shield | Pokemon Sword &amp; Shield Versions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Additional Characters to be added, Eventual Smut, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Piers being drunk off his ass, Venting to each other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 14:14:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,018</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29270217</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/applemachine/pseuds/applemachine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>About three months after the events of Sword and Shield, Gordie's relationship with his mother worsens. On the other hand, Piers finds life outside of the league hard to adjust to. Doesn't help that Team Yell is still causing an uproar over Marnie's loss in the gym challenge. The two agree one fateful night to eat out together, which begins the start of a relationship between two. While the two really appreciate each other, reputation and outside issues get in the way.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Makuwa | Gordie/Nezu | Piers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>This Side of Paradise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Gordie’s Rotom Phone rang around noon. Considering something happening earlier that put him in a sour mood, he considered just leaving it on voice mail, but when he saw the caller ID, he’d feel too bad not too. He sighed and picked up the phone.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oi! How’re you, Piers!” He answered, putting on an over confident expression he normally wore. He felt phony doing it right now, but it’s whatever. Would rather be a phony than ruin Piers’ mood</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey bloke, just wondering if you’d like to meet up tonight for some steak, and drinks if you’re up for it. Gym challenge’s been rough.” Piers didn’t normally ask Gordie out to eat, so he was pretty surprised about the invitation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You sure?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, been wanting to bond with you more, mate. Considering we were smack dab next to each other in the challenge, we might as well get to know each other,” Piers replied.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m down for it. I got torn a new one today, so I’d be down to let off some steam.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great. Meet you at 6 then, it’s a date.” Before Gordie was able to acknowledge or even say goodbye, he could hear the beeps signaling that the call ended. Classic Piers, being awkward and all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The time until then felt like it lasted way more than about 6 hours. Especially the gym challenges. Oh boy, the gym challenges he had before he was off for the day took forever to grind through. He didn’t have enough time to change out of his gym clothes, but in the end, he doubted Piers would care much.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Around ten minutes before, Gordie started heading over. Despite the fact that Piers normally appeared </span>
  <em>
    <span>fashionably late, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he actually beat him there. He initially looked as if he didn’t notice Gordie, so it was up to him to make the other aware of his presence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oi Piers! Over here!” He waved. To this Piers just scowled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hey, hey, quiet down,” Piers shushed, “I don’t wanna attract any attention.” Gordie was confused but he decided to play along, for the sake of starting banter and making things less awkward.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh? You hiding from someone?” he teased.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes actually, mate. Your fans.” Piers scowled. He wasn’t wrong, and Gordie knew this. Someone as locally famous as he was in Circester couldn’t breathe without some blogger making a rumor about it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah yeah, you’re right. Let’s just go in and grab a seat. I know a place where people won’t bother, and it’s about to get insane in there,” Gordie directed. Piers followed suit, being so  uncharacteristically smooth to even open that door for him. The two got situated in a booth partially concealed by a brick wall, as to not be seen by any passerby through the large glass window.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, Piers, let’s jump into it. How’d your day go? Is life outside of the league any more interesting?” Gordie snorted. A good joke was always the best way to open up a date.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Well, not a date. Just a catching up between two ex-colleagues, that happened to be over dinner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No biggie. I’m more worried about you, mate. You’ve had challengers up the wazoo. Not to mention you ‘got torn a new one’,” Piers said snarkily in return. Damn, Gordie didn’t mean to </span>
  <em>
    <span>mention </span>
  </em>
  <span>getting ‘torn a new one.’ That was supposed to stay between him and Mummy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shit, I did say that didn’t I,” Gordie laughed, “Well, it’s nothing bad. Just that Ol’ Melony’s been a pain, y’know?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I thought you two weren’t on speaking terms.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We are, just not publically.” Melony stated on her rare league card that the two simply weren’t. Like in general. Just the reminder of the exaggeration was a </span>
  <em>
    <span>huge </span>
  </em>
  <span>pile of salt directly into Gordie’s emotional wounds.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oi brother, don’t worry, I know how you feel. Me and Marnie get into quite the scrap sometimes-“ Piers assured before being interrupted by a waiter, asking what they’d like to drink, “Oh, I’ll just take a beer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Beer here too.” Although it was really minor, the fact that the two had the same drink in mind brought Gordie a lot of comfort, just by the two having similar tastes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The waiter returned with their drinks. While Gordie only took a small sip, Piers took a swig, which surprised Gordie. The lad seemed scrawny, like taking that big of a drink would kill him on the spot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bloody distortion world,” Gordie exclaimed, “Aren’t you a lightweight?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piers looked annoyed. “Nah, just scrawny. I drink quite often. And I get asked that quite often,” he scolded, taking another big swig.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just asking. I enjoy looking out for my mates, y’know?” Gordie asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t feel the need. Marnie yells at me enough for getting drunk,” Piers replied, with a chuckle. Afterwards, he took yet </span>
  <em>
    <span>another </span>
  </em>
  <span>sip.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dialga and Palkia, how could someone be this self unaware?!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But yeah. Marnie and I’ll get into a scrap, and she won’t bug me for a week. I don’t bug her neither. It’s awkward, but I still understand your situation with Melony,” he continued, “What did you guys get into anyway?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh brother, asking the big questions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, nothing big. She just said I didn’t understand basic type match ups. Oi, how was I supposed to remember that grass was good against rock?!” Honestly, his regular fights against his mum were something he was really private about. But around Piers, he could just open up about it. He’s just a chill, understanding dude.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piers snickered upon hearing what Melony and Gordie’s latest dispute was over. Again, while Gordie would normally pick a bone over it, he just was able to brush it off as good fun here.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Y’know Piers? You’re a hell of a lot more approachable than you put on,” Gordie told him, putting his thoughts into words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piers seemed kind of embarrassed by the out of nowhere compliment. He just took a second to look around, as well as drink a bit more unsurprisingly to Gordie, before replying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, really?” He asked, “I don’t disagree though, I’m sure we could’ve gotten into mad fun while I was still in the league. I mean, if he actually had the balls to approach each other around then.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gordie reflected on what Piers said for a few seconds before asking, “Oh that reminds me, why’d you set up dinner with me anyway?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eh, just outta curiosity is all. I wanted to see what the </span>
  <em>
    <span>cute and charismatic Gordie </span>
  </em>
  <span>was like in person.” Well, at least he was honest. “But, to be completely honest, I’m enjoying it. You’re just plain approachable.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gordie felt his face go warm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piers asked, “Blushing much?” Definitely. He didn’t know why, but Gordie felt different upon being called “cute and charismatic” by him specifically, even if it was just lowkey drunk impression of his fans.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gordie’s eyes went wide. He straight up didn’t know how to respond. How </span>
  <em>
    <span>was </span>
  </em>
  <span>he supposed to respond to being called stuff like that by his own (albeit ex) colleague. Then, Piers broke the silence by cracking up. Gordie had never seen him lose his shit before like he was now. He doesn’t think anyone had. He had been laughing for a good two minutes at least.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oof- ugh, sorry mate, your expression was priceless,” he said, wiping a tear from his eye. “Should have snuck a picture.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piers then looked around the restaurant to see that everyone had been looking directly at him. If he hadn’t been wanting attention, he was definitely failing at that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m telling our waiter to cut you off- I think you’re drunk, Piers,” Gordie scolded. “After only one drink too. You drink way too fast for your own good.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ugh, Christ,” Piers groaned, “If I wanted to be told my business, I’d have gone out with your mum.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gordie chose to not pay any mind to that statement. “I’m fine to let you spend the night at my place if you’re too smashed to make your way home,” he assured.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m telling you- I’m fine, let it go bud,” Piers declined, before burping disgustingly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re definitely not.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re finishing our food and then we’re heading home to my place. I don’t trust you out there in the cold like that.” Gordie wondered how Piers could live in a place like Spikemuth and not get robbed or mugged. The bastard had to respect or care for himself.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Piers pouted and continued eating his steak. While Gordie normally was lightning fast to consume his dinner, he couldn’t help but watch Piers. This wasn’t a Piers that was known to the public, league, and even his little overprotective fanclub, Team Yell. This was a Piers who didn’t care about image or anything, just being himself. Gordie thought that he was the second person to see him like this, first being Marnie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When both parties’ dinner was finished the two left after Gordie paid.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright well if you’re forcing me in your home, you gotta carry me,” Piers stated, matter-of-factly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anything for you oh fair princess,” Gordie rolled his eyes. He thought Piers would be an easy dinner partner, but apparently the guy couldn’t last seemingly five seconds before drinking himself into a giddy mess. “Lemme just call Marnie. So no one assumes I’m kidnapping you or anything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gordie tapped into his phone, and onto a contact that simply read ‘Marnie.’ Shortly after, his ringtone started playing. When she joined the league, he didn’t think he’d ever have to actually contact her, being a quarter his age and all. Apparently his gut feeling of saving her contact information anyway was a good hunch in the end.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piers piped up. “Tell her I said hi.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m not telling your sister that you said hi,” Gordie scolded. Arceus, he’s acting like a toddler.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Phone went straight to voicemail. Not surprising considering how late it was at this point, but still an inconvenience. Gordie just sighed, tapped a message into the (very empty) text thread he had with her, and put his phone away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So how far away is your place?” Piers asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“‘Bout a ten minute walk. Probably gonna take us twice as long ‘cause I have to carry you,” Gordie figured, “Speaking of, climb on my back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piers, thankfully, wasn’t heavy, which really isn’t surprising considering how much of a lightweight he was.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After he climbed up, Gordie started on his way. The walk home was mostly quiet. He made sure to enter as many back ways as possible. If any fans saw him and the ex-gym leader like this, there would definitely be a plethora of PR issues to wake up to in the morning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So,” Gordie started, “You never did answer me when I asked earlier. How’s post-league life been for you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Honestly, been kind of afraid of talking about it. It’s only fair I told you though. After I prodded you for the scoop on Melony,” Piers answered, “Been kind of a pain, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Really?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah. The main reason I asked you out was to get out of Spikemuth, to be completely blunt. Team Yell’s been causing a ruckus. Something about how Marnie’s spot as champion was stolen or something.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gordie couldn’t help but laugh. “Still? It’s been a good few months!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oi, laugh now but if you were in my place you’d want to go drink yourself silly too!” Piers teased in return. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I suppose!” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two then approached Gordie’s apartment building.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alrighty, we’re here, get off,” Gordie ordered, “Can’t carry you up the stairs.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Piers promptly got off, much to his own discomfort. “It’s a shame. You’re big and cuddly. Like a big beartic,” Piers said, still in a teasing manner.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Gordie softly pushed him. “Shut it. Let’s head up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two then entered the building. As they approached the third floor, Gordie began to get doubts. What if letting Piers stay the night is a bad idea? With him being drunk, could he possibly take advantage of the situation? But, unknown to him now, this was actually the start of the best thing to ever happen to him.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is the first fanfic I've uploaded on here, and I'm really glad its Gordie n Piers.. they're little men and I am a big fan of them. Idk how long this is gonna be but!! I'm really excited to let the story play out. I promise the writing will get better as I go on, starting long fics like this isn't easy lol</p></blockquote></div></div>
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